For and Against a Reboot

Indy's brother

New member
I'd be willing to say that 6 is a golden number. If they could actually pull off a 5th and 6th with Ford, it would go a long way towards my acceptance of a reboot. A reboot that I would still scrutinize every step of the way.

Of course for some of us fans that aren't gung-ho for the idea, there's kind of no pleasing us. If for example, Lucas goes re-boot and it is flawless and awesome, I'll hate it for being great when KOTCS was riddled with flaws. If it sucks, I'll be sitting here tearing on it for that.

So, as I said, I would need a 5 & 6 to emerge first, quickly, and be deftly executed. I know it can be done, I've seen it 3 times before.
 

Hanselation

New member
Daydreaming

The fact is: If they aren't working hard on the next installment(s) yet, further Indiana Jones movies with Harrison Ford are history.
Hopefully they're working in secret - but I can't believe in that at the present time.
Maybe there will be a Re-Boot of Indiana Jones in a few years, but at this time that is only a daydream.

Happy New Year!
 

kongisking

Active member
Indy's brother said:
I'd like to see an Indy movie with Ford that is more universally accepted before a reboot. And even then, I'd have a time accepting it if Ford was still alive. It would seem weird to me watching an Indiana Jones film knowing that Harry was still around. He was right when he said that he "earned that hat". The place (well, one of the places) where the Bond argument fails is that we haven't seen 007 go through the aging process and character development as we have with Dr. Jones through their respective franchises.

They've started fixing that with the recent Daniel Craig films, in which James does have an honest-to-god arc (which is why I prefer his Bond to all others).
 

Indy's brother

New member
kongisking said:
They've started fixing that with the recent Daniel Craig films, in which James does have an honest-to-god arc (which is why I prefer his Bond to all others).

You're correct, but the argument for the Bond-style reboot isn't based on the latest incarnation of 007. The premise as I understand it is that Bond has been played by so many actors without killing the series, so it should work with Indy. Now if Bond had been played by one actor, over the course of 30 years, and was then replaced/rebooted without detriment, then the theory would hold more water with me. Of course, these are only my opinions, and I suppose until I'm proven right or wrong, there are truly no right or wrong answers as to whether or not it would work with Dr. Jones. I'm guess that the Bond argument is simply illogical to me, which is compounded by my affinity for Ford in the role anyway. I just didn't get the closure with his portrayal of the character yet. Your mileage may vary.
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
Let it die -- that is, the series and the term "reboot". Neither is needed.


Indy is something of an anachronism, stuck in a particular era. Bond on the other hand is reflective of the age he's thrust into. Especially the current one.
 

Montana Smith

Active member
Le Saboteur said:
Indy is something of an anachronism, stuck in a particular era. Bond on the other hand is reflective of the age he's thrust into. Especially the current one.

Yes, Bond reflects the technology of the day (and, of course, tomorrow). He has to be re-invented, otherwise he loses his relevance.

Indy on the other hand begins to lose his relevance as he drifts farther from the 1930s, which was his peak adult era of adventuring, and the one we'll more strongly recall.

KOTCS was a diversion, with the man out of his time. It worked as a one time experiment, albeit with the over-clunky desire to wow the audience with something extra. It was like Indy moving from a golden age into a silver age, and the further he goes the more tarnished he and his age will become.

Le Saboteur said:
Let it die -- that is, the series and the term "reboot". Neither is needed.

Which is where my thoughts are currently going. We should appreciate what we have, and not push the magic too far, since that risks stepping on cliffhanging Indy's fingers.
 

WillKill4Food

New member
Montana Smith said:
Yes, Bond reflects the technology of the day (and, of course, tomorrow). He has to be re-invented, otherwise he loses his relevance.
I would actually like to see a James Bond film set in the 1960s that more reflects that time period's culture, with "retro-futuristic" technology.
 

Mickiana

Well-known member
Let it die? How can we? We are die-hard fans. We will hang on longer than Lucas, Spielberg and Harrison. They got to make the movies and the money. We got to watch them. There's too much potential for more great adventures to let it go. One or two more with Harrison then reboot it with young, fresh talent.
 

Montana Smith

Active member
Mickiana said:
Let it die? How can we? We are die-hard fans. We will hang on longer than Lucas, Spielberg and Harrison. They got to make the movies and the money. We got to watch them. There's too much potential for more great adventures to let it go. One or two more with Harrison then reboot it with young, fresh talent.

Without Harry it won't feel like real Indy. It could be like watching a Mummy movie, only with the names changed.

Also, what direction would a reboot go, after Lucas and Spielberg unleashed KOTCS? Would their target audience expect more of the same? Would hey expect four waterfalls this time?

Or would they target a more discerning audience who have nostalgia for the 'quieter' days ROTLA?

The creators would be between the devil and the deep blue sea, and we know it's impossible to please all the people all the time. I see a great divide among fans. I see a storm coming! ;)
 

Mickiana

Well-known member
I don't want to acknowledge anything you are saying, Montana, but I know I have to.:p What about this point: Harrison brought so much to the role, so what if someone else did that? Surely it's possible. Harrison owns what he's done so far and what he will do, but if someone can fill his Aldens I don't see why they couldn't make their contribution work.
 

Montana Smith

Active member
Mickiana said:
I don't want to acknowledge anything you are saying, Montana, but I know I have to.:p

Naturally! ;)

Mickiana said:
What about this point: Harrison brought so much to the role, so what if someone else did that? Surely it's possible. Harrison owns what he's done so far and what he will do, but if someone can fill his Aldens I don't see why they couldn't make their contribution work.

If we take Bond as the example, each actor was really a new Bond. They each had their character traits. Each generation of Bond is different, though linked by certain rules and constants.

Sean Patrick Flanery was a different character. He wasn't Harry's Indy, and only occasionally could I mistake him for the 1930s character. The YIJC works as a standalone series of adventures, borrowing Indy's name. It doesn't say 'classic' Indy to me.

Therefore, another actor taking on the role is going to be struggling against the 'classic' image. They will have to follow certain Indy rules (the obvious character traits), but they will always be different.

The only way I could see it working is if they set it between 1939 and 1945. Avoid any overlap with the Harry movies, and don't go beyond the end of the war. That just might isolate the character enough from the image we already hold in our minds.
 

Raiders90

Well-known member
We've had discussions before about the idea/concept of an Indy reboot. But is it really a viable idea? A franchise like Bond or Batman can potentially be rebooted forever in different styles as they're not really stuck to any particular era or actor.

Unlike Bond, which doesn't have a real time line or continuity and exists in a universe wherein the character never ages, Indy films are as much (not serious) period pieces as they are adventure films, and the role is very much tied with Harrison.

If Harrison had retired from the role with ToD or LC, he could've perhaps been replaced had if a good enough actor had been found soon after. Like Sean Connery only spent 5 years in the role of James Bond and yet he's STILL arguably the definitive actor in the role--He's in some people's eyes never been truly replaced in any perfect sense. But Harrison has had the role of Indy for 30 years; it's his.

I honestly have a hard time believing that any actor, regardless of how good they were or how iconic they themselves were, could ever successfully replace Indy in the eyes of the public. The actor and film might be good, great even, but I don't think the public would swallow it.

However, if they did do a reboot, they could just totally rewrite the continuity afresh ignoring the originals and potentially make lots of films set from the 20s to the 50s. That could be possible I guess. Get a young guy and make like 5, 6, 7 or more films spanning from 1920 to 1960s or something. But therein lies another problem: Unlike Bond films, which are usually pumped out every 2-3 years, Indy stories and films take a long time. This could be avoided, however, by using existing material (IE the novels, comics, video games) as a story basis for films. Most of the early Bonds were themselves based on Fleming's novels.

So it's kind of a wishy-washy proposition. If they go at it the way I laid out in the last paragraph, though, it could IMO be great. I mean is there anyone who wouldn't want to see Fate of Atlantis adapted to the big screen? Or one of the Bantham novels? Or Infernal Machine, if done right? There is a treasure trove of stories.

The major problem I see with this ever coming to be is George Lucas. Not only do I doubt that he'd EVER hand over Indy (story-wise) to someone else, but he doesn't seem to have much interest in the character anyway, at least compared to SW. And I don't think he'd ever allow an Indy film to be made which was based on a story he didn't write. He wouldn't allow an Indy film with the credits "original story by Max McCoy" to come out--Just because of his ego/desire for total creative control.
 

DiscoLad

New member
It all depends on finding the right actors then finding the correct writers who could capture the Indy we all know and love and put it to paper.

If they could pull it off then I would not mind at all at a reboot.
 

The Man

Well-known member
Very much to each his own, but...no reboot for me. It just wouldn't feel the same without one man. Indiana Jones is Harrison Ford.
 

DiscoLad

New member
The Man said:
Very much to each his own, but...no reboot for me. It just wouldn't feel the same without one man. Indiana Jones is Harrison Ford.

I don't know man, if they found the right guy. You don't think there is one person who might be able to do it?
 

The Drifter

New member
This question gives me conflicting views.
On one hand I really want to see new adventures with Indiana Jones. New stories, and characters. The kid in me wants to follow this man on many more wild escapades. That part of me don't ever wanna see the adventures stop.

But, on the other hand, I don't think we need a reboot or any other stories after part five (if it ever does get made). Over-saturation can kill any franchise and make it dull.
A new actor playing Indy may just give me a bad taste in my mouth, and I fear I could not completely accept the fact that this new actor is indeed my favorite hero.

I've never seen the Young Indy episodes (which I hope to remedy that very soon), but those were a whole other beast from the many things I've read on them. So, I feel secure knowing that I could set down and watch those with no problems.
But, seeing a movie on the big screen with someone playing Indy who isn't Ford...
I don't know. I just don't know.
 

The Man

Well-known member
DiscoLad said:
I don't know man, if they found the right guy. You don't think there is one person who might be able to do it?

I really don't know, DL. Maybe...but would we ultimately want anybody else to do it? We could all be stoked as Hell...until we see it. I'd rather they throw the kitchen sink at a fifth and let it go. Bow out with a true barnstormer.


EDIT: Matt Damon could work. Think about it...
 

Mickiana

Well-known member
Many good reasons to do a reboot. As for GL handing over Indy to someone else? Well, he will charge a pretty penny for it and stay happy.
 
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